ER Burnout

We all have days like that. I hope you have some days off coming up.

Nothing to do with competence!

If you were no good, and didn't care, you would not be posting here, you would be in a bar someplace!

So you had a bad day, it happens, (usually on Mondays, why is that?), it won't always be like that, and it sound like you got through it ok.

Why no techs?

We don't have techs in our ED. Well, we have one, but he/she is actually acts as a unit secretary. Our techs get so bogged down answering phones and doing unit paperwork, that there is rarely time for them to assist with patient care.

I am sorry you had such a rough shift. I hate those days when you feel like you've given your all and it just wasn't enough.

I just finished a horrible 13 hr shift. I did not eat and only had time to go to the bathroom once. I juggled 3 critical patients and 2 hall bed patients all day. Each admission or discharge was met by another high acuity patient brought in by EMS. All day patients and their family's were griping about one thing or the other and staying on their call lights (we do not have techs). I know you are thinking "that is what you do in ER". However, today I felt as if I did not care for my patients as I should have. My charting got behind and I was a mess both physically and mentally. Days like today make me feel incompetent. Are all ER's getting like this or am I just burned out??? This isn't my first ER, but it is the worst! I just moved and started this job 7 months ago. Any advice is appreciated!

Its been crazy where I work for the past several months too. There has been so much acuity. We've been holding ICU patients a minimum of 4 hours after admission requests are placed, intermediate care even longer. Our assignment consists of 4 rooms and its not uncommon to also be given 2 hall patients. A few weeks ago one nurse had back to back cardiac arrests placed in her rooms. The first one didn't make it but the second one did and she had to juggle keeping them alive along with managing the rest of her assignment. Everyone keeps saying somethings gotta give but has yet to see it happen. The ratios we have been running are not safe for the nurse and do a disservice to the patients. Many nurses and techs have given their notice or are looking for another job. Im hanging in there, for now. If your days are anything like where I work, I am sure that you did the best you could. Give yourself a little break. Good luck!

*hugs!

No one died and you did the best you could with what you had. Some days that's all you can hope for.